Tyre City

The city of Tyre is located to the south of Lebanon city and it is one of the major cities in the Phoenician era. The city extends up to the Mediterranean Sea and it is about 80 km from the Beirut city. The Tyre city is Lebanon’s fourth largest city with a population of about 318,000.

Mythology places Tyre as the home of Elissa and Europa, and features one of the major ports in the nation. It is a major tourist stop because of the numerous ancient sites, among them, is the famous Roman Hippodrome. Tyre is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical constructions.

The city features a number of monuments dating back to 1500 BC; the people of this period were the world’s leading merchants. The city is also famous for its manufacture of the Tyrian purple dye which was mainly used the emperors of that period. Around 1000 BC during the reign of King David there was a friendly relation in between the people of Tyre and Hebrews.

Also at this city, a Syrian woman’s daughter was healed by Jesus Christ mentioned in Mark 7:24.

Tyre features three archaeological sites that include the Byzantine mosaic floor of an ancient church, Roman Cemetery and Roman triumphal arch. Among the ruins in the city is the hippodrome, the best preserved area that accommodates up to about 20,000 spectators.

In addition the city also features a number of ruins belonging to the Byzantine and Arabs. The other major sites are the Shia Mosque with double domes, Christian quarter and colorful souk.